Chances are you've heard about the 10,000 steps per day health guideline for walking—and that may be because it's actually been around for a while."The recommendation came from a 1960s Japanese marketing campaign in preparation for the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games," Zack Dzingle, CPT, trainer and assistant general manager of fitness at Bay Club Portland, tells Parade. "This became popular because of its simplicity. Scientists knew then that general movement led to improved health and longevity!"While that sounds pretty simple (and in a lot of ways, it is!), you may have some questions about the 10,000-step rule. If you're considering starting the 10,000 steps-a-day challenge, here's what you can expect for the first month.?SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week?
"Ten thousand steps is about five miles," Josh Schlottman, CPT, CSCS, fitness trainer, owner and founder of Josh Fitness, tells Parade. That may sound daunting if you're just starting out, but chances are it sounds a lot further than it'll feel when you're doing it. This is especially true if you're a commuter who uses public transportation and lives in a walkable area.Related: 'I Lost 95 Pounds By Walking—Now I'm Bodybuilding'
How Long Does It Take To Walk 10,000 Steps?
That can vary depending on your natural gait, your speed, if your dog is with you and stops to pee every 11 seconds (just me?), whether you're walking and talking with a pal, or even just depending on how you break up your 10,000-step total throughout the day. That said, Schlottman notes, "It's roughly 60 to 90 minutes of daily walking that gives people a nice round number that's achievable."
Related: Over 50 and Want to Lose Weight? This Is the Exact Walking Speed to Aim For, According to Trainers
The impacts of walking 10,000 steps daily will vary depending on where you are in your fitness journey when you start. That said, barring any sort of injury or other conditions you might have, everything that will happen to your body is great.
"The benefits of walking 10,000 steps every day for a month are endless," Josh York, CPT, ISSA, and founder and CEO of GYMGUYZ, tells us. "A routine of consistent walking can lead to improved heart health, potential weight loss, enhanced mood, and reduced risk of chronic diseases. Bonus benefits of this method include a boost in energy levels, improved sleep, and stronger muscles and bones."
"You'll notice more than just a little extra pep in your step," Michelle Porter, CPT, NASM, fitness coach and founder of Michelle Porter Fit, tells Parade, adding that walking is one of her favorite workout options for her clients. "In the first month of consistently hitting 10,000 steps a day, most people experience improvements in cardiovascular endurance, energy levels, mood, digestion and sleep quality. It's one of the most accessible ways to increase NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), which plays a huge role in daily calorie burn."
She adds, "Even if your diet doesn’t change much, walking 10,000 steps daily can create a noticeable calorie deficit over time—around 300 to 500 calories per day depending on your pace and body size. That's enough to move the needle on weight loss, reduce blood sugar spikes and get inflammation down."
That's not all.
"Heart health improves by lowering blood pressure, increasing circulation and reducing risk of heart disease," Schlottman tells us. "Energy levels increase as your mitochondria (the powerhouse of your cells) becomes more efficient. The elevated blood flow delivers oxygen to your muscles and brain, giving you better focus and less brain fog. Walking (especially outside) can lower chronic stress hormones like cortisol."
Terry Tateossian, CPT, ISSA, echoes the benefits of walking, noting that walking outside in the morning sun especially can help your circadian rhythms get in sync for better sleep.
The biggest thing you'll notice, Porter says, is your lifestyle change. "The biggest change is you start building a habit of daily movement—without wrecking your nervous system or running yourself into the ground," she explains. "This is a sustainable form of fitness that works with your body, not against it."
Related: Walking at This Pace Reduces a Common Heart Problem by 43%
Will Walking 10,000 Steps a Day Help You Lose Weight?
It definitely can, depending on what the rest of your lifestyle is like. "The average person can burn up to 500 extra calories just by walking 10,000 steps a day," Schlottman points out. "Burning 500 calories a day for 30 days is 15,000 calories burned a month. A pound of fat is about 3,500 calories, so you can lose almost five pounds a month."Related: How Many Miles to Walk Each Day to Lose Weight, According to Personal Trainers
Just like any other exercise, if you keep it up for more than a month without upping your game at all, you may plateau with 10,000 steps per day of just walking.
"If the body gets used to the same load, progress may stop, but if this happens, it likely would not happen earlier than after four to six weeks of regular, uniform activity," says Ashlee Van Buskirk, health and fitness coach and owner of Whole Intent Fitness & Nutrition. "To continue developing, it is important to add intervals, tempo or additional physical activity."
That means that after around six weeks, you may want to try mixing it up or stepping it up. Tateossian suggests:
Wearing a weighted vest to help increase effort and calories burnedIncreasing the intensity of your walks by adding hillsWalking fasterIncluding intervals or other movement types to challenge your body in new ways: "For example, slow jogging for 30 seconds followed by walking for 1.5 minutes. Repeat this 10 times throughout your walk."Related: New Study Reveals Exactly How Many Minutes to Walk Per Day to Add Years to Your Life
Does It Have To Be 10,000 Steps?
No, you can think of 10,000 steps as a general target.
"The 10,000-step target is a rough guide, but you may see benefits with even fewer," Chris Pruitt, CPT,certified personal trainer and CEO at Workout Healthy, told us. "I've noticed health benefits in the 7,000 to 8,000 step range. It's important to adjust step counts to individual fitness levels and health goals."
As in, if you're just starting out, don't feel bad if you can't make all 10K a day right away. You can ease into it! As logging 10,000 steps gets easier, you may want to up your overall workout game as well.
"If you have been sedentary for a while, you will see immediate improvement with 5,000 steps," Tateossian noted. "Once your body adapts to 5,000, then move up to 6,000 and so on. Walking 12,000 to 15,000 steps/day can supercharge fat loss, endurance and overall energy expenditure, if your schedule and recovery allow for it. If not, even 3,000 to 5,000 steps more than your current average can make a noticeable difference over a month, especially if you’re just getting started."
"I would recommend 10,000 steps a day as a motivational instrument to promote daily movement," Pruitt says. "That said, it is ultimately volume and utilizing the entire range of motion and concentrating on moving consistently with quality versus only logging steps that matter."
Schlottman says he generally tells his fitness clients to get at least 8,000 steps, explaining that sometimes trying to hit 10,000 every single day can lead them to burn out—and that you don't want to ignore other means of getting healthy and fit as well.
"If they're a new beginner, then they can also become overexerted from walking that much daily," Schlottman explained. "It's easy to also develop overuse injuries in their feet, ankles, knees and hips. Jumping straight into walking 10,000 steps a day can cause repetitive stress if their body isn’t ready for that amount of volume yet. It also doesn't cover the whole picture: Steps alone don’t build muscle, improve flexibility or strengthen bones the way strength training does."
Dzingle says that in addition to getting your steps in, you can supplement or substitute with other "steady-state cardio," noting to aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity every week.
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Related: 19 Workouts That Are Great for Your Heart, From Walking and Water Aerobics to Boxing and Burpees
Sources
Zack Dzingle, CPTMichelle Porter, CPT, NASMChris Pruitt, CPTJosh Schlottman, CPT, CSCSTerry Tateossian, CPT, ISSAAshlee Van BuskirkJosh York, CPT, ISSA Read More Details
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